Apparatus for liquefying gases.



Au GI APPARATUS FOR LIQUEFYING GASES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 21, 1905.

984,875., Patentd Feb. 21, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. Armin c. W001), or rniLAnnLrnrA,PENNSYLVANIA, Assienon 1 GENERAL AIR,

rnonucrs coMrAnr, or novna, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

' rrARATUs ron LmUnrYmG eAsEs.

To all whom it maycoaceme Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphiaand State ofPennsylvani'a, have invented certain Improvements inApparatus for Liq uefying Gases, of which the following is aspecification. Y

This invention, designed primarily to provide improved means forliquefying air, comprises in itspreferred-forma heat insulating envelophaving therein a motor, a series of coils by which the gas is carriedunder pressure around and to said motor where it is expanded and causedto do external work at the expense of the heat energy of the gas therebylowering its temperature so as to effect the liquefaction of a portionof i the gas, and interchanging mechanism wherein is circulated cold gasand the vapor which is separated from the liquefied prod not that hasbeen developed, this gas and vapor being carried over the coils torefrig-.

erate the incoming gas and through colleentric passages surrounding themotor to effectively insulate the expanding apparatus.

- The motor as a turbine may be used for any desired work, such asdriving a dynamo for operating a compressor used in compressing gas forthe apparatus.

The accompanying vertical sectional view of a form of mechanismembodying the invention.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises the base 1 having thereonthe hollow fiber or non-conducting columns 2 which support the woodfloor 3. These parts are held together by-bolts 4 which engage the floorandthe base, the engagement with the base being made throughnon-conducting bearing washers 5," and the boltsjare further insulatedfrom the atmosphere by the non conducting coverings 6. and 7 containedin the columns 2 and the .caps 8, the latter covering the lower ends ofthe bolts and the washers.

The turbine, supported bythe floor, has a shell comprising the base 9with the circular channel 10 therein and thebearing box 11 thereon,'theconcentric .cylinders 12 and 13 withthe pressure chamber 14 between themand extending around the shell providing for a cooling 1acket, and thehead 15 having thereon the bearing box 16 and the flanges 17 and'18, theflange 1 7 fitting the top of Specification t Letters'latent.

Application filed October 21, 1905. Serial No. 283,784,v

drawing represents a the cylinder 12'and the the respective boxes 11 and16, have journaled therein the shaft 21 to which are fixed the vanes 22with expanding ports there chambers having passages within which thevanes revolve and through which they communicate, the highest vanbcommunicating by the inlet ports or nozzles 25 with the chamber 14 andthe lowest communicating with the exit ports 26 and the concentricchannel 10 having the pipe 27 leading therefrom. e To provide a thrustbearing for the shaft 21 a s 0e 28 is supported'by the cboxl l andcontains the step 29 which takes the down ward thrust of the shaft, theshoe being insulated from the box by the fiber 28. The step' bearingthus formed is suitably lubricated through a tube 30 and drained througha tube 3l communicating therewith through the shoe. v

The wood-cover 32 is su ported on the top of the turbine shell and isconnected with the floor 3 by the fiber board cylinder 33. Surroundingthe cylinder 33,'as also the bottom 3 and .the cover 32 thereof, is asheathing of fibrous heat insulating material 34 having the fiber boardcasing 36, the fibrous material 35 being also packed between the ends ofthe turbine and the top and bottom boardsfto inclose the turbine andinsulate practically all metal parts.

In the lnterchanger, between the cylinders 13 and 33, are disposed thefiber board cyl- Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

flange 18 the-tep of the'cylinder 13. Bearings 19 and 20, set in indersor partitions 37, 38 and 39 concentrically arranged aboutthe turbine,forming the concentric cylindrical chambers 40, 41, 42 and 43surrounding the turbine. The ports 26 communicate with the chamber 40and i the latter communicates with the chamber 41 through the apertures44 in the top of the cyhnder 37 The chamber 41 communicates throu h theapertures 45 in the bottom of the cy inder 38 with the chamber 42, andthe latter communicates throughthe apertures 46 in the top of thecylinder 39 withthe chamber 43. A fiber tube 47 leads from the U chamber43 through the insulating envelop surrounding it. 1

- 'In the tube 47' is a metal at... 48" which forms a cylindrical coil49 in the chamber 43, thence it extends through an aperture 46 andforms'a cylindrical c011 50 in the chamber 42, thence it extendsthroughian aper-- ture 45 and forms a cylindrical coil 51 in the chamber41, thence it extends through the aperture 44in the top of the, cylinder37 into the chamber 40, and thence into the annular chamber 14-.

A dynamo, with its rotary elements 58 fixed to the shaft 21, has itsstationary elements 54 fixed to the casing 55 which is provided with thelegs 56, the latter being supported by wood-blocks 57 embedded in thefibrous envelop and resting on the part 32.

Bolts 53 pass through the feet, their supports and the flanges 18 intothe cylinder 13,.

by which these partsare secured together.

In operation the gas under pressure passes through the concentric coilsof the tube 48 into t e pressure chamber 14 around the turbine, whenceit flows through the expansion ports or assages of the turbine, the heatenergy in t e gasbeingexpended in doing external work, whereby a portionof the gas is-liquefied,.collected in the channel 10 and drawn offthrough the-conduit 27, while the unliquefied gas and vapor escapingthrough motor and containing the ports 26 arecarried over the coils torefrlgerate the incoming gas; and, through the chambers containing them,in concentric sheets, insulating both the turbine and the bersurrounding and communicatin with sald turbine a fiuld con'ductmg co 1lsurrounding said turbine and"commumcat1ng with saidchamber, means forreceiving liquid discharge from said turbine, means for "conductinggas-and vapor' discharged from said turbine in contact with said coil,and an insulating envelop surrounding said mechanism.

3. An apparatus comprising a turbine, a

dynamo connected with V and operated by said turbine, a casing having anannular chamber therein surrounding said turbine,

said chamber having an outlet communicating with said turbine, ,a.coiled tube leading to said chamber, a conduit for conveying fluidfromsaid turbine in contact with said tube, and a heat insulatingenvelop 'containing said turbine, tube and condult, said turbine beingsurrounded by said coiled tube and conduit. V

4. An apparatus comprising a turbine having a, vertical shaft and achannel communicating with the outlets from the ports therein, anenvelop having a floor supporting said turbine through'its connectionwith said channel and a cover supported by said turbine, means providinga sequential passage having courses one within .another between ,saidfloor and cover, saidpassage como with an outlet from said tarmunicatinv bine, a p urality of sequentially disposed conducting coils in saidpassage and communicating with an inlet to said turbine, and

an insulatmg envelop for said mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day. ofOctober 1905, in

the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT C..WOOD. In presence of-- l I I RoBER'rJAMns EARLEY, UTLEY S.CRANE, Jr.

